Launch Date: November 2019
Geography: New York City, New York
Founder: Kim van Haaster, Founder + CEO
Executive Team:
Board Member: Darlene Jordan, Board Chair + President
2026 Full Year Projected Revenue: $8M - $10M
Primary Category: Skincare
Other Category: Personal Care
Funding: Angel Investment
Primary Distribution Channel: Prestige
Other Distribution Channels:
Key Retail Partners:
2026 Projected Offline Distribution Points: 1,300+
Bloomeffects was born from Kim’s transformative move to the Netherlands. With decades of experience in the cosmeceutical industry, Kim was inspired by the Dutch way of living based on balanced lifestyle, seasonal beauty, and an embrace of sustainability, as well as the EU’s rigorous beauty and agricultural standards. Seeking relief for her eczema-prone skin, Kim was awarded two Dutch government grants in research and discovered the compounds in her family's tulips that could be used in skincare. Bloomeffects was created to harness the botanical power of upcycled tulips from her family farm, embodying a philosophy that is conscious and rooted in nature.
Insights: Kim van Haaster, Founder + CEO
Why now and why you?
Bloomeffects has upheld a truly unique position in the industry as the first skincare brand to harness the regenerative powers of the Dutch tulip, which is the singular point of difference that has been at the heart of our brand since day one. After seven years of relentless dedication, perseverance, and belief in our vision of the brand, seeing Bloomeffects launch into Ulta Beauty in 2026 has been one of the proudest milestones of my career yet. I never stopped believing in the potential of Bloomeffects or in my ability (both as a founder and as a mother of two) to bring that vision to life, and that resilience has been instrumental in getting us to where we are today.
What fuels your competitive advantage?
Bloomeffects’ single-minded, unique territory of utilizing the Dutch tulip in skincare and being the first to do so is our biggest differentiator by far. We are deeply rooted in the commitment to sustainability and earth-friendly practices given the homage to protecting our key ingredient: the Dutch tulip. I received two Dutch government grants in research on the usage of tulips in skincare, after which I then discovered there were compounds such as auxin and kinetin that promoted growth and repair. Our Proprietary Dutch Tulip Complex is created through circular farming practices by upcycling imperfect tulip bulbs that would be discarded as waste and instead turning them into vital skincare ingredients to promote cell renewal and hydration that formulates all of our products.
What’s your proudest accomplishment to date?
Our retailer expansion into Ulta Beauty has been my proudest moment to date. This was seven years in the making after lots of rejections. As a founder, it was hard to take the feedback, but we went back to the drawing board to reassess the brand and its positioning and feeling for the retailer, which they originally deemed “too old fashioned.” Ultimately, we decided to move forward with an entirely new design for our packaging that had a more modern, science-focused approach, while still showcasing our beloved hero ingredient, the Dutch tulip. We owned the rejection and came back to Ulta Beauty with our new look and feel. After a few months of waiting for a response, I woke up in the middle of the night to an email confirming Ulta Beauty wanted Bloomeffects. It was a dream come true!
What is the one thing you wish someone had told you?
I wish someone had told me that building something as beautiful as Bloomeffects and expanding into dream retailers takes time; it’s not an overnight success story. Without the years of hard work, determination, and grit I wouldn’t have learned the valuable lessons that I have as a founder—and for that, I’m grateful.
What would you tell your past self before starting this journey?
As someone with decades of experience in the cosmeceutical industry as a beauty executive, I wish I could tell that version of myself that you will never work as hard as you do as a founder. I’ve put my all into this brand and watching it blossom into what it has become today has been beyond anything I’ve ever dreamed of. The most rewarding part is hearing the testimonials from our community on how Bloomeffects has changed their skin and boosted their confidence.
What does success look like in the next 3-5 years?
As we continue to bring new innovations to market down the pipeline, we are working towards becoming top five in prestige skincare. Separately, Bloomeffects expanded into Ulta Beauty this year in 750 doors, and in the next few years, we’d love to be showing up in all doors. Outside of the US market, our goal is to expand into the global market with expansion into the United Kingdom, Canada, and Europe, the Middle East, and Australia.
What's one industry trend that is overhyped, and what's being overlooked?
There has been an uphill trend in the industry with at-home devices promising clinical-level results, which they simply do not deliver. Additionally, I find that bioactive florals are completely overlooked in the industry, just as the tulip was before we discovered the cell-regenerating properties that can be used in skincare that powers all Bloomeffects products.
How do you think the industry needs to evolve?
The industry is constantly evolving, but I would like to see greater access to institutional capital for BIPOC female founders, along with increased funding opportunities at the pre-seed stage.
If you could wave a magic wand, what one wish would you make for your business?
My greatest wish for Bloomeffects is to scale up thoughtfully, sustainability, and quickly with the right resources, while preserving our strong company culture and authenticity that is at the heart of our brand.